Chapter 390: The Enclave Could Be Nearby

Orion’s jaw tightened.

"Are you certain?" he asked quietly.

Wesley didn’t hesitate. He gave a firm nod, his expression grave. "Very. I’d recognize that sigil anywhere. Even damaged, even half-buried. I would remember it. It belongs to the enclave."

Orion’s mind immediately began connecting threads. If someone from the enclave was found dead in the forest, then the odds were high that more of them had been nearby—except maybe it was a messenger.

He wasn’t sure, because they had sent a very rude reply to the enclave the last time they had asked them for help to deal with whatever was happening to the rest of their kind.

"Did you notice anything about the body?" Orion asked.

"I really didn’t give it a thorough search," Wesley replied. "I know it could have been a messenger like last time, but I couldn’t risk the trainees getting hurt, and I wasn’t sure the enclave would just send someone alone, not after the way we replied to them."

Orion nodded. "My thoughts exactly."

"Dren was the one who found the body," Wesley told him.

Orion nodded. "And you sent the signal."

"Yes, because I couldn’t risk the trainees if there were actually more," Wesley said.

Orion nodded.

"Also, something else killed him. It wasn’t the cold. He was attacked, and my senses screamed Trihydra, but I didn’t really check the body well enough to be certain," Wesley added.

Orion absorbed his words. He had no idea how the scouting team had missed something like that. Everywhere the test would take place had been scouted before it was approved, and no one had reported sightings of a dead body.

Orion frowned.

*Could it be that something or someone placed it there on purpose?* Noctis asked.

Orion paused. He hadn’t even considered that. But was it possible? Was there someone in the forest who could have placed the body there deliberately after the area had been approved for the test?

"Do you think someone could have placed the body there?" he asked Wesley. "This place was scouted before it was approved for the test."

"I... I didn’t think of that. But who could have done that? Someone from the pack?" Wesley asked.

Orion didn’t know, and he wasn’t sure.

*Your thinking is myopic. Perhaps it wasn’t a person but a beast?* Noctis suggested.

Orion paused. "You really think a beast could have done it?"

*No,* Noctis replied. *But I’m not ruling out the probability that it could happen.*

Orion nodded, then turned to Wesley. "Take the trainees back to the compound. Then report directly to Daniel or Brynhild. Tell them what you saw. They’ll gather a response team and come back to secure the area and inspect the body properly."

Wesley nodded immediately. "Understood."

He paused, then added carefully, "And you?"

Orion’s gaze drifted instinctively toward the forest line—toward the vast, silent stretch of snow-laden trees where his instincts burned like an open wound.

"I’m going to find my mate."

The moment he stepped back into the clearing, he knew one thing—Sophia wasn’t in the place where the test had taken place. She was alive and fine, but she wasn’t here.

Wesley didn’t argue. He only inclined his head slightly. "Be careful, Alpha."

Orion turned to leave, but his ears twitched sharply.

Footsteps approached fast, crunching through the snow with uneven urgency.

He pivoted just as Micah emerged from between the trees, breath visible in short bursts of white mist, eyes tight with worry.

"Alpha Orion," Micah said quickly. "I need to speak with you."

Orion studied him. "What’s wrong?"

Micah swallowed. His shoulders were tense, hands clenched into fists at his sides. "I want to come with you. To find Sophia."

Orion stilled.

Micah rushed on before hesitation could steal his nerve. "You told me to be her guard during the test, and I failed at that."

Orion’s expression softened slightly—just enough to be noticed.

"You didn’t fail," he said evenly. "You weren’t even on her team."

Micah nodded, jaw tight. "I know. I understand that logically. But I won’t be able to live with myself if I don’t do something to help. She’s a friend, and I... if something happened out there and I stood around doing nothing—"

His voice faltered briefly before he steadied it again.

"For all we know, something in the forest forced Holly to leave her behind."

That sentence landed like a spark.

Orion froze.

Something cold slid down his spine.

His eyes widened subtly.

Micah watched realization dawn across Orion’s face.

Without another word, Orion turned sharply and strode back toward the center of the clearing.

Micah blinked, then followed quickly.

The trainees and examiners were still gathered where Orion had left them. Holly remained restrained and gagged, her furious eyes tracking every movement like a trapped animal.

Orion stopped in front of her.

The clearing went deathly quiet.

He reached forward and pulled the bandage free from her mouth in one smooth motion.

Holly sucked in a sharp breath, lips parting in startled relief.

Orion’s voice was low and controlled—too controlled. "Tell me exactly what happened in the forest that made you leave Sophia behind to die."

Holly blinked at him.

Then slowly—

A smile curved across her lips.

"She deserves what’s coming for her," Holly said softly. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

The words were soaked in venom.

Orion’s control snapped just enough for a growl to rumble deep in his chest, vibrating the air around him.

His fists clenched.

But before he could say another word—

Two massive shapes burst into the clearing at full speed.

Snow sprayed outward as they skidded to a halt several meters away, muscles taut, breath steaming heavily in the cold air.

The entire clearing tensed.

Orion recognized them instantly.

"Joren," he breathed. "Ethan."

Both wolves shifted rapidly, bones snapping and reforming until they stood in their human forms, chests heaving, faces strained with urgency and fear.

Joren didn’t hesitate for even a second.

He broke into a run straight toward Orion.

"Alpha Orion," Joren said breathlessly, stopping just short of him. His eyes were wide, panic barely contained beneath discipline. "We need to find Sophia."